Door-controlled electric-elevator system.



PATENTED APR. 23, 1907.

R. H. GAY.

DOOR CONTROLLED ELECTRIC ELEVATOR-SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD H. GAY, OF CONESVILLE, IOWA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratented April 23, 1907.

Application filed June 29.1906. Serial No. 324,062.

To all who? it may cancer/1,:

Be it known that I, RICHARD H. GAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Conesville, in the county of Muscatine and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door-Controlled Electric-Elevator Systems, of which the fol lowing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in door-controlled electric elevator systems.

I-leretoforc, many attempts have been made to produce a system of automatic doorcontrol for electric elevators, but far as I am now advised, such systems have necessitated the employment of what is known in the art as master-switches and mechanism comprising independent circuits with batteries or motors associated with the doorcontrolled switch.

My invention is designed primarily to avoid the necessity of complicated Wiring and .independent mechanism. for operating the controlling solenoids.

In my system, I incorporate directly in the system of circuits, as a part thereof, the doorcontrolled switch. r

In the accompanying drawing is shown diagrammatically the application of the invention in Figure 1. Fig. 2 illustrated a section of the circuit maker and breaker applied to "a door frame. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the circuit breaker and maker in elevation.

In the drawings I have illustrated what is now commercially known as the Sprague system of wiring, having however omitted largely the auxiliary devices in such system usually employed; and for the purpose of simplifying the drawings have shown only such circuits as are necessary to illustrate the application of the invention.

A designates the motor circuit, B the motor, C the switch from the supply circuit, and D-D the solenoids for making and breaking the motor circuit. I shall describe the motor circuit as applied to one side, it being understood that the wiring on the other side is substantially the same as shown but arranged for operating the elevator in the opposite direction. p

E designates the hand controlled switc which is located on the car, not shown, and F designates the rheostat which is controlled by master switch E.

With.

In the system illustrated, starting from the left hand side of the switch C, the cur' rent is passed through the circuit 6 which connected. The contact arm f of the rheostat is driven by the pilot motor which carries on its shaft the switch-operating arm f for tripping the switches G and G. The upper portion of the arm f after the contact arm f has been moved to substantially one half of the circle, contacts with the pivoted arm g, opens the pilot motor circuit g and stops the pilot motor so that the arm f may be returned through circuit (1 and the contacts (1 to its normal position after the car has stopped. The arm g is conveniently connected with the arm 9 by a suitable spring to hold both arms normally in contact with the circuit terminals, as. shown, the other side being the reverse in wiring. As the pilot motor rheostat is operated through the current derived from the motor circuit, the switch G, which is illustrated to show the direction of the current, is closed on the contacts h completing the circuit between the solenoid I) and the motor circuit. I leretofore, this solenoid energizing circuit has terminal 7i and when the switch G was closed, the current passes through c, e and a back to the main motor circuit. The opposite arrangement is employed when the solenoid D is operated. From, the above description, it will be observed that the circuits are all in direct communication with the motor circuit and that all batteries are dispensed To employ the door controlled switch in such an apparatus, I purposely disrupt the circuite at the points X and extend from such points a circuit H, which in fact is a continuation of the circuit 6. This circuit has in it a door controlled switch K, presently to be described in detail.- The usual stop device L is employed in the circuit 11, the same being usually employed in the circuit corresponding with e.

cifio form of door controlled switch, the same consisting of a metallic box M being divided transversely by insulated partitions rheostat with which the switches G-G are extended directly from the circuit e to'the In Figs. 2 and 3, I have shown the spem, one of the end partitions carrying spring terminal arms m closely positioned and connected with binding posts N. O designates a plunger passing through the intermediate and opposite end insulated partition, having a shoulder thereon and around which is sleeved the spring 0, one end of which rests against the central partition. The spring tends to force the outer end of the plunger outward and to break the contact between the terminals m. Q designates the door having a buffing block q in line with the end of the plunger. I have found it convenient to connect the sides of the box M by passing screws through the plates and entirely through the insulated partition. This forms a very rigid structure which will not become loose by repeated movement or banging of the door. The end of the, plunger is preferably somewhat rounded so as to pass into the space between'the terminals m.

In operation, when the elevator is being stopped, the switch E is placed in the position shown. In this position the circuit to the pilot motor is reversed, and the stopping switch L raised to break the operating circuit, the pilot motorin the meantime returning the rheostat arm to its normal position ready for immediate subsequent service. The door of the elevator is open, and the circuit H is broken. Now in this condition, it is evident that irrespe'ctive'of the riosition of the hand-lever E, the solenoid D will not be actuated or ener ized and therefore the main line circuit to t e motor will not be completed and so notwithstanding the fact that the quick stopmagnet L may be positioned to close the gap in circuit H. As soon as the door is closed, the circuit H, which as above stated, is a direct extension of the circuit e,

will be closed, the magnet D energized, and

the motor is ready to be started upon the movement of the master switch E.

One of the essential characteristics of the invention is the simplicity of the arrangement whereby the current from the motor circuit may be employed to govern the parts and the door control constituting in fact a part of one of the circuits, all of which are contained within or connected with the motor circuit.

I have not with any degree of detail specifled the operation of the pilot motor, as this is well known in the art, but I desire it understood that the invention can be applied with success in other systems, in that the invention is not limited in its application to what is known as the Sprague system or ilot motor controlled rheostat, and therefore while I have shown the direct door controlled extension in the circuit 6 it may be made a direct extension of one of the other circuits and still be within the spirit of the invention. It will be understood also in this construction and by this arrangement, that the breaking of the circuit by the door control does not interfere with the replacement or proper positioning of the rheostat arm.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric control for elevators, the combination with a motor and its circuits, of solenoid controlled switches for the motor circuits, a rheostat, a hand controlled master switch for directly controlling the rheostat, shunt circuits in which the solenoidsforcontrolling the motor circuits are located and a door controlled switch'operatively associated with and positioned in the said shunt circuits.

2. In a door controlled system for electric elevators, a switching device for the door consisting of a box having a plurality of insulated partitions secured thereinand extending thereacross, spring contacts carried by one of said'partitions, a plunger carriedby two oppositely disposed partitions and passing through the same, a spring on the plunger, and means for securing the partitions in position. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD H. GAY,

Witnesses:

J. PERCY CAMPBELL, EDWIN S. CLAnKsoN. 

